Name: Rezzel H.

Perocho Section: BSOA 2B

1. Who is Antonio Pigafetta? What is role in the Magellan-Elcano expedition?

- Antonio Pigafetta was a scholar and explorer of Venetian. He accompanied the
expedition to the Spice Islands commanded by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the
flag of King Charles of Spain, and also the subsequent voyage around the world after
Magellan's death in the Philippines.

2. According to Pigafetta, how did the locals of the island welcome Magellan and his crew?
- According to Pigafetta, locals like Rajah Humabon and his wife Juana welcomed
Magellan and his crewpeacefully. Magellan or one of his crew members were able to
cure the Rajah’s ill grandson, so in return, the latter has allowed some of his followers to
be baptized as christians. However, not all locals were very welcoming as Magellan was
soon killed by in a battle with another native leader, Lapu-lapu.

3. How are the islander’s way of life, cultural practices, and religious beliefs described?
What does Pigafetta’s account tell us about the condition of the Visayan islands in the
16th century?
- Pigafetta describe the inhabitants of the places they have been through as a very
hospitable people. He also describes the customs, traditions, and food of the people the
have meet. According to Pigafetta, gold is abundant and iron is scarce. Men and women
enjoyed equality to some extent. They have clothing for formal occasions and for day-
to-day labour.

4. Based on the Pigafetta’s account, how did the battle of Mactan start?
- Tha battle of Mactan, when the the natives saw that we were shooting our muskets to
no purpose, they redoubled their shouts. When our muskets were discharged, the
natives would never stand still, but leaped hither and thither, covering themselves with
their shields.

5. Why was Pigafetta’s journal not published?

- Agoncillo declared that there was no Philippine history before 1872, disqualifying
Pigafetta’s manuscripts. He considered these as Spanish history as seen through the
eyes of European, instead of the eyes and the words from Pigafetta affords us a view
into a time so far from today. Pigafetta wasn’t able to find a financier who would pay for
the deposit required to print his journal.